Just listening to an NPGMC mix I had made a year or so ago, and began to think that Prince really dropped the ball by not releasing this to the masses...

In light of the lack of any real hook on Musicology, and it's warn out, dusty James Brownesgue style, it's startling to hear how fresh, immediately memorable, and catchy some of these songs are. Sure the drums and overall production are a bit plastic, but all the songs have a real cohesive feel, and most have great, fun, danceable beats. (Prince's best chance for mass appeal is in the clubs, I think).

What would the potential of this tracklist have been, properly promoted with good videos, talk shows, etc.?:(BTW, These are my personal favorites, make your own tracklist)

Vavoom
High
2045: Radical Man
Underneath The Cream
My Medallion
Northside
You Make My Sun Shine
Supercute
Judas' Kiss
The Daisy Chain
Van Gogh
Peace

* I think we may look on these songs more favorably as time passes. They are not groundbreaking, but I think an extension of what Prince was going for on NPS, but more organic and experimental... What do y'all think?

Personally, I don't think anything can bring the masses back ob board. But I agree with you that those songs grow on you. I like them much better now than I did when I first heard them.

What month was 2045: Radical Man from? I don't have that one . . . wasn't it a CD single?

I know it's on the Bamboozled soundtrack, but I'm not buying that whole CD for one song!

When Eye Lay My Hands on U could have been a number one.
Period.

Underneath The Cream

---

Spanky said:

What about Splash and Underneath the Cream? I felt we got some really good music from the club.

I just said the same thing in a thread about the (apparently aborted) "High" album, which has most of those songs. I'm glad I got access to them through the club but it's a shame the general public never got to hear them, since they're better than anything from his last few albums.

Se7en said:

Oh, but it's SOOOOO worth it. My favorite song of the last 5 years. It marked the return (and then the departure, and then the return, etc) of the playful, inventive "character" Prince - and I really like that Prince, yes I do.

theblueangel said:

Now you have sparked my interest, Blue! I've never heard the song . . . can you compare it to anything? I vaguely remember a snippet of the song from the website . . . didn't it go "flash, forward, 2045"? That's all I ever heard of it, if that's the song I'm remembering. And even that has been a few years . . .

u make my sun shine was far better than anything on the radio at the time. and radical man is still one of my favorite tracks by prince to this day. very sign of the times era style. i also loved alot of the npgmc tunes, it was an exciting time to here prince trying new grooves, raw, unfinished work. I miss it. I love prince, but i dont miss the old days, i wanna here new songs from him, good or bad. I know this cat has a few great albums left in him, and i know he will record till the day he is gone. so maybe this tour will excite him again, or mani or life...

theblueangel said:

the only good thing about it was the beginning. Then it fell from there.

Se7en said:

Yeah that's the one all right...I know that there are a lot of people who seemingly don't agree with me, but I think it's dark and funky and prophetic. I wish I had the lyrics to it...it definitely references the AIDS epidemic a few times...at the end of a song you got Prince doing his best preacher voice:

10 million people right NOW are being wiped off the planet
by a disease, they SAY they have no cure
in the MATTER of a blinking eye
take a stand, radical man
(boom!)

I find that to be some of Prince's most inspiring lyrics ever....of course, I would, since I'm one of the 10 million (not sure if that number's right...total guess).

http://www.amazon.com/exe...55-8232625

Of course, I've never bought the CD because I downloaded it from...would it have been Napster back then?

Anyone else dig this track, or am I the only one?

"Oh my GOD it's the GREEN MILE!!" - enter some of the funkiest geetar distortion EVER.

I just don't really see it that way. If the High material had been released, it would've just been an extention of the Emancipation/NPS/Rave sound which wasn't exactly in huge demand amongst Prince fans. I like some of those songs too, but I think he/we really needed "The Rainbow Children" at that point.

I think it's kind of a thing where these songs weren't officially released on a CD, so it becomes more sought after with the fans. If these songs had been released to the masses, the fans wouldn't look on them so kindly.

how could u u 4get GOLD PARACHUTE... I love that jam!!

3NineteeN04 said:

indeed!

'dre

theblueangel said:

I think it's a very funky track. Sounds, to me, much more devoloped than a lot of the NPGMC songs. Certainly a different sound than a lot of his recent material.

A totally wasted oppurtunity! These tracks were strong, fun, funky, and soulful.
Aside from from some horn playing, much of it seemed to be Prince all by himself again...yet these songs sound warmer and richer than say Rave, NPS, or Emancipation.
This album could have been huge, if promoted properly...but then, when was the last time that happened?
But that's another thread...

Vavoom is an underrated masterpiece

Se7en said:

'2045: Radical Man' was the b-side to the 'Peace' CD Single (which goes for silly money on eBay now).